Cryosurgery and immunotherapy for prostatic cancer.

The history and rationale for the use of cryosurgery are discussed, along with the association with stage and grade of the tumor. Also included are details of the surgical procedure used in the perineal approach, results of studies that address clinical benefit and the relatively few surgical complications, and, finally, patient survival. The section on immunotherapy describes its different categories (active nonspecific, active specific, and passive or adoptive immunotherapy) and details its clinical use in the treatment of prostatic cancer.